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NCAA Basketball: 10 great tournament games we missed out on in history

By Trevor Sinodhinos

JACKSONVILLE, FL - MARCH 20: The NCAA March Madness logo on the floor during the NCAA Basketball First round practice session at the VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena on March 20, 2019 in Jacksonville, Florida. (Photo by Mitchell Layton/Getty Images)
JACKSONVILLE, FL - MARCH 20: The NCAA March Madness logo on the floor during the NCAA Basketball First round practice session at the VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena on March 20, 2019 in Jacksonville, Florida. (Photo by Mitchell Layton/Getty Images) /
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EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ – MARCH 25: Jameer Nelson #14 of the St. Joseph’s Hawks stands next to his head coach Phil Martelli (Photo by Doug Pensinger/Getty Images)
EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ – MARCH 25: Jameer Nelson #14 of the St. Joseph’s Hawks stands next to his head coach Phil Martelli (Photo by Doug Pensinger/Getty Images) /

Connecticut vs St. Joseph’s (2004)

Jim Calhoun had three future NBA players returning for the 2003-04 season, but for good measure, he added three freshmen who would also go on to play in the NBA after leaving Connecticut. Phil Martelli would coach St. Joseph’s to their fourth consecutive Atlantic 10 regular-season championship. The 2003-04 season would heavily feature future NBA guards Jameer Nelson and Delonte West averaging 20 and 19 points respectively in the St. Joe’s offense.

The pre-season No.1 Huskies would finish second in the Big East and feature their own impressive guard in the likes of junior Ben Gordon. Their 12-4 record was still impressive in the highly competitive Big East, whereas St.Joseph’s used their 27 game win streak to reach No.1 in the polls before losing in their first game in the Atlantic 10 conference tournament to settle at No.5 at season’s end.

The flame of interest was ignited around the Huskies after winning the Big East tournament, and the Hawks undefeated regular season while playing zero ranked teams, had fans clamoring to see what St Joe’s could do against recognized competition. St Joe’s and their fourth-best three-point percentage were the #1 seed in East Rutherford, while the UCONN  Huskies behind Emeka Okafor led the nation in rebounds, blocks, field goals made, total points and for added measure assists, were given the #2 seed in Phoenix.

All this to say that if everything went to plan fans would have seen the hottest team in the nation versus a team that had a perfect regular season. UCONN would live up to everything they claimed to be, while St.Joe’s would fall to Oklahoma State by two in the Regional Final and have not been nationally ranked since.

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